Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1887-03-24
Scene of the Wreck.

Tho wreck as it lies makes more appalling
ruin thnn that Of any recent disaster. At Deer.
field, White River junction, and other scenes
OF horror fire wiped out all the ruins that were
not indestructiblc, but not so this time. There
lies tho great trough nearly filled with torn,
twisted, crushed, and splintered railroad prop.
erty An adequate description OF the shapeless
mass is simply impossible. or the nine cars
which formed tho train six arc in tho cut The
hrst-No. 52O-lies minus its trucks near tho
track, about four hundred feet from the
nearest bridge nbutment. 1t was tho rear
truck Of this car that went wrong first, but the
occupants we're not hurt being only shaken mp
just back OF this car is No. 49, tho second car OF
the train. The cur was swept from its trucks
and its rear was crushed in by the car follow
ing. Car No 70, the third one OF the train, is on
the embankmont, badly doInoralized, but ro-
tains its general shape. The passengers in this
car We're badly shaken up, but thore were nc
serious casualties among them. This car lios
partly its side about 100 feet from the chasm
Next came car No. 81. 1t is doubtful IL any
ono escaped from this car alive. The bri ge
entirely gave way before it reached the inward
site, bat the momentum OF the train and tho
strength Of the couplings carried it nearly over
the chasm. 1t dropped just before it reached
the abutment and the body of the car dashed
against the solid stone wall The force OF the
shock shot the roof forward SO that il cleared
the chasm and slid along the rails itself full
length. The body OF the car was literally
ground to pieces, and the bits of wood. iron, and
human bodies were strewn on the road beneath
forming the foundation of the wreck Those
who examined the wreck could find no distinct
identified. The only proof that It had existed
was the fact that there were plainly nine car
roofs at different points, and it followed. OF
course, that nine cars had been wrecked. though
it was possible TO trace but eight.
The cars which lie in the chnsm form n pile
Of wreckage 400 feet long by 100 feet wide The
road beneath crosses at such n sharp angle that
all the cars were diverted on striking the oppo-
sito abutment into general position parallel
with the street and the abutments Most Of
the casualties were in cars 81, 80, and g. ro.
spectively, the fourth, fifth, and sixth ON the
train, and the first, second, and third OF those
which went into the chasm. Car No "a lies in
n hoap Of splinters, with side and roof broken
in. Tho stovo did not break it's fasten-
ings, but was broken above the grato.
The fire, however, was extinguished. Car
No. 80 lies parallel to car s, unroofed,
and with every seat gone Several Of the killed
and wounded persons were taken from this cor.
The stove of this car remained firmly fixed and
no FIRE escaped. Car 81 is partially demolished,
while No. 81 lies almost intact upon the ruins.
Many persons we're injured in these cars and but
few were killed. Back OF them is the upturned
wreck Of the smoker only a corner OF which re-
mains. The car whirled upside down as it half
fell from the ombankment. Scarcely any of its
occupants escaped injury, and Policeman Lailor
and one or two others we're killed.